The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro is the pride and heritage of the Brazilian people. The famous monument represents a Christian shrine for pilgrims who annually visit the divine creation.
The opening three-dimensional panorama of city objects at the foot of the grandiose structure of mankind attracts many tourists from different countries of the world.
The flow of those wishing to join the world's architectural heritage is endless and annually attracts everyone with its grace.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil - brief description
The artistic feature of the statue is manifested in the pose of Christ.
The body, which resembles a cross from a distance, is a symbol of the Christian faith. The outstretched arms of the giant simultaneously identify blessing and universal forgiveness. The monument is clearly visible from a long distance. Frame reinforced concrete structure covers soapstone and glass elements.
The divine spectacle surprises both during the day and at night. Night spotlights increase the effect of the spiritual value of the monument in the eyes of all believers. The direction of the rays on the sculpture creates the impression of Christ descending from heaven.
Did you know that: The statue of Christ the Redeemer is on the list of modern 7 wonders of the world.
Dimensions
The impressive appearance of the statue is given by the Corcovado hill on which it is located. Located at its very top, the figure of Christ the Redeemer looks both majestic and graceful.
In terms of size, the memorial itself is one of the tallest buildings not only in Rio de Janeiro, but also in the world, reaching a height of 30 meters. The pedestal on which the sculpture is installed is 8 meters high. The weight of the statue is 630 tons, the head is 35.6 tons, each arm weighs 9.1 tons, and the total weight of the structure is 1140 tons. The length of the outstretched arms of Christ the Savior is 28 meters.
Story
The idea of establishing a statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro arose in 1859.
The construction was planned on Corcovado Hill, the highest peak in Rio de Janeiro, reaching a height of 704 meters. A curved hill in the form of a “hump” was best suited for the construction of such an architectural masterpiece. Despite the consent of the church, its construction was impossible due to insufficient funds for construction. By the end of 1884, a road had been built to the hill. railway. Its engineers, Terceir Soares and Pereiro Passos, were the pioneers of the railway in .
At the beginning of 1921, at the insistence catholic church Led by Archbishop Sebastian Leme, donations were collected from the townspeople for the holy monument in the amount of more than 2.5 million reais. The church society also provided a large contribution.
The artist for the project was Carlos Oswald. He put forward the idea of building a statue with outstretched arms, reminiscent of a cross - a symbol of blessing.
The initial sketch suggested placing the figure of Jesus on a pedestal in the shape of a ball. However, this option did not guarantee the stability of the structure and was replaced by the engineer Hector de Silva Costa with a rectangular base.
In mid-1921, construction began on the monument to Christ the Savior in Rio de Janeiro, which was timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the country's independence.
The production of sculpture parts from reinforced concrete and soapstone (soapstone), which has a soft structure, wear resistance and sufficient resistance to weather disasters, took place in France. The hands and head of Jesus were modeled by French sculptor Paul Landowski. The finished parts were transported along the railway track to the top of the hill, where they were assembled. The planned construction for 1 year was delayed for 9 years.
Please note: With the grand opening and consecration of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, the date entered into history - October 12, 1931.
The rededication took place with the participation of Pope Paul VI in 1965. At the same time they were installed lighting fixtures. In 1981, Pope John Paul II attended the statue's 50th anniversary. In 2000, the night illumination system was modernized. The introduction of escalators to the observation deck made the ascent to the landmark easier.
Under the great monument to Christ in Rio de Janeiro there is a small Catholic chapel, named after the spiritual minister Nossa Aparecida, where services, weddings and baptisms are held. It was created to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the statue and was dedicated by Archbishop Eusebio Scheid. There is a souvenir shop nearby.
In 2007, the first Russian service was held Orthodox Church which is enough for a long time kept apart from the Christian monument. In 2016, as part of the Day of Russian Culture, held in Latin America, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill performed a prayer service on the site near the monument with the spiritual choir of the Moscow diocese.
You can see photos of this event in our article.
Many amazing events are associated with this monument:
Please note: It is better to be inspired by sightseeing in the morning, before the midday heat. This will avoid large crowds of tourists in the observation area.
How to get there
To visit the majestic structure, you first need to get to the foot of Corcovado. You can get to it by a small electric train along a direct route, about 4 km long. This railway track, called Karakol, is actually shaped like a snail. In one hour throughput railway capacity is up to 550 passengers. The electric train runs every 20 minutes.
You can also use car rental or city taxi services. Upon arrival at your destination, the next step is to walk 40 meters or use an escalator or elevator. The further path to the observation deck is 223 steps of a steep winding staircase.
Please note: The route to the monument by road passes through the large Tijuca Natural Park with local exotic fauna.
Cost and operating time
The famous landmark of Brazil welcomes guests from 8.00 to 19.00 with free admission. You can get to it by electric train, which runs from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm at intervals of 20 minutes. The price of the ticket is 51 reais and includes the return trip.
Tourists are offered a helicopter tour to the monument, which costs $150 and allows you to take a closer look at the attraction from a bird's eye view.
Take note: You should keep your ticket for the return trip on the electric train, which is a round-trip travel document.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer - photo
Anyone who has visited the foot of the Christ statue is impressed by how the place has transformed from an ordinary fort into a tourist town. The scale and beauty of the luxurious view of Rio presented to the eyes of every tourist amazes everyone who is on the observation deck.
From its height you can see many attractions, including the Maracanã sports complex, famous for Brazilian football players, and the vast territory of the international airport.
You can admire the many kilometers of beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, and see the top of Sugar Loaf in the foggy haze. For many believers, climbing the steps of the stairs to the statue of Christ means cleansing and forgiveness of their sins. The outstretched arms of Christ the Redeemer invite everyone under his divine protection.
Watch the video that talks about the most famous statue in the world - statues of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro:
The Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) is one of the New Wonders of the World and the number 1 attraction. business card city of Rio de Janeiro. Despite the enormous popularity of this place, it is not so easy to find detailed instructions, how to best plan your trip to Mount Corcovado to the famous statue.
Is it worth visiting the Christ statue in Rio?
Before looking for a way to get to the statue, you first need to answer the question of the advisability of the trip. Most tourists agree that it is impossible to visit Rio and not visit the statue, however, there are nuances. The good news is that even if you weren't planning on climbing Mount Corcovado, you probably won't be able to visit Rio without seeing the Christ the Redeemer statue. A monumental structure 38 meters high, located on one of the most high peaks, Mount Corcovado (710 meters) in such a way that it is visible from many points in the southern, central and northern parts of the city.
One of the most beautiful views opens in the Botafogo area, which is located on the coast of Guanabara Bay, this is where the front part statues.
The dark time of day is not a hindrance either - with the onset of darkness, the statue is illuminated and it feels like it is floating in the night sky.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer Botafogo area
How much does this tour cost?
The price of visiting the statue may vary depending on the method you choose, but the minimum cost for entering the territory of the statue remains unchanged - as of January 2018 it was 25 reais (~450 rubles) per person.
Train is the most popular way
The train is one of the easiest and most popular ways to get to the Christ the Redeemer Statue. Main difficulty this method- get to the station. You can get to the station by taking a direct bus from the Largo do Machado metro station.
Train tickets can be purchased at the box office or on the website http://ticket.corcovado.com.br/ (62 / 75 reais per adult ticket depending on the season)
Train to Corcovada (Christ the Redeemer Statue)
Excursion is the most convenient way
There are two ways to get to Mount Corcovado with a tour. The first is an alternative to the train. Right next to the train you can find minibuses that take tourists back and forth. The second is to book transport from travel agents. In this case, a similar bus will pick you up from your hotel or at the designated collection point.
A similar excursion can also be purchased online at https://tickets.paineirascorcovado.com.br/ (61 / 74 reais per adult ticket depending on the season)
Walking is the most difficult but economical way
This method will appeal not only to those who like to save money, but also to those who like long, walking walks. Another advantage of this method is that in addition to Mount Corcovado and the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, you will also visit the famous Parque Lage and the Tijuca National Park (on whose territory the statue is located).
Parque Lage Rio de Janeiro
If you choose this method, the first thing you need to do is get to Parque Lage, the easiest way to do this is to use an Uber. In the park itself you will find the exit to the path leading up the mountain (look for signs Corcovado / Trilha Corcovado). The beginning of the route is on the opposite side from the entrance to the park. Before climbing, you need to leave your contact information at the checkpoint and get a map (free of charge).
The ascent itself may be more difficult than it seems at first glance. The whole journey, even for a trained person, takes about 3 hours. In the morning there are quite a few people on the trail, so if you plan to come at the very opening, most likely you will not have fellow travelers. Another danger is bandits, as evidenced by the “High risk of robbery” signs - due to the proximity of some favelas. Therefore, it is not recommended to take particularly valuable things with you. However, judging by the news, this route has recently been considered quite safe.
You can read more about hiking Mount Corcovado here (though in Portuguese)
By helicopter - the most unforgettable way
The most luxurious and exciting way is to look at the Statue of Christ from above by booking a helicopter tour. In Rio de Janeiro there are several companies providing various routes (including a flight from another attraction - Mount Urca). The cost of such excursions usually starts around 200-300 reais per person for a few minutes of flight. Almost always, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the main points of the program, but nevertheless, it is better to clarify in advance and check whether Cristo Redentor is included in the program (the name of the statue in Portuguese)
What should you consider before visiting the statue?
One of the main conditions for a good trip to an attraction is good weather. In Rio de Janeiro (especially in summer time) quite often the weather is foggy, which can spoil the whole impression by obscuring with a thick veil the entire view of the city (which is no less impressive a sight than the statue itself). Therefore, when going to the statue, you should pay close attention to cloud cover, and when booking a trip, check the weather forecast in advance.
When is the best time to go to the Statue of Christ?
To others an important condition Besides the weather there is time. During the high season, on weekends, there are not just a lot of people on the site in front of the statue, but a LOT of people. If you want to do good photo and avoid having to literally squeeze through the crowd, you should arrive at the opening itself at 7:30 - 8:00.
However, it is worth considering that on your own, you may have to wait for your turn at the entrance, so in order to be guaranteed to get to the attraction in best time, it is worth booking tickets that indicate the entry time.
An alternative to an early trip may be a late trip. It is unlikely that you will be able to take a good photo with the statue in the dark (although with the onset of dusk the statue begins to be illuminated), but in the evening a beautiful view of Rio de Janeiro at night opens up from Mount Corcovado.
From the top of Mount Corcovado there is an amazing view - a long strip of Copacabana beach, Sugar Loaf Peak, and of course, the city, the magical city of Rio de Janeiro! From this point, perhaps, it is impossible to consider only the symbol of the metropolis and the symbol of Brazil - the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, because we are located directly at its foot
The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most famous and popular monuments in the world. Every year, millions of tourists rise to its foot, from where a stunning panorama of the city and the bay opens with the picturesque Sugar Loaf Mountain (port - Pan di Azucar), the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, and the huge bowl of the Maracana stadium.
An electrified railway (the first in Brazil) leads to the top, with a miniature train running along it. It was built by engineers Pereira Passos and Terceira Soares long before the statue of Christ - in 1882-1884, and subsequently played big role in the construction of the monument: building materials were transported upstairs along it
You can also reach the statue by car along the highway that passes through the Tijuca State Reserve. Tijuca is the largest forested area in the world located within an urban area
In 1921, the approaching centenary of Brazil's national independence (1922) inspired the city fathers - Rio de Janeiro was then the capital of Brazil - to create the Christ the Redeemer monument. The magazine O Cruzeiro announced a fundraiser by subscription for the construction of the monument. The campaign generated 2.2 million flights. The church also joined in the fundraising: the then Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Don Sebastian Leme, took a large part in the creation of the monument. Construction of the statue lasted about nine years - from 1922 to 1931
The original sketch of the monument was developed by artist Carlos Oswald. It was he who suggested depicting Christ with his arms outstretched in a blessing gesture, which would make the figure look like a huge cross from a distance. In the original version, the pedestal for the statue was supposed to be shaped like a globe. The final design of the monument was developed by the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa.
Since for a number of reasons, including technological ones, it was impossible to create such a huge sculpture in Brazil at that time, all its parts, including the frame, were made in France. In 1924, French sculptor Paul Landowski completed modeling the head (3.75 meters high) and hands of the statue. In disassembled form, all parts of the monument were delivered to Brazil and transported by rail to the top of Mount Corcovado. From the end point of the rail track to the foot of the statue, a winding staircase of 220 steps was built, nicknamed “Karakol” (“Snail”), and in the thickness of the marble base there was a small chapel
On October 12, 1931, the grand opening and consecration of the monument, which became a symbol of Rio de Janeiro, took place.
In 1965, the statue was rededicated by Pope Paul VI, and in 1981, Pope John Paul II attended the monument's 50th anniversary celebration.
Over the past 75 years, the statue has been repaired twice - in 1980 and 1990. In 1932 and 2000, the night illumination system was modernized. In 2003, the rise leading to the observation deck was equipped with escalators.
In 2007, the statue was selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Let's give a series interesting facts about this incredible building:
- At the statue Christ the Redeemer there are several doubles. For example, the statue of Christo Rei (Christ the King), which is located in Lisbon (built in 1949-1959). Its height is about 28 meters, but instead of a hill, a pedestal about 80 meters high is used.
- In Vung Tau (Vietnam), a similar statue of Christ with outstretched arms was erected in 1972. It stands on a small hill (132 meters high) and has the following parameters: height - 32 meters, and arm span, just under 20 meters.
- On the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia (a Muslim country!) in 2007, the construction of a 30-meter giant depicting Jesus Christ stretching out his arms over the metropolis of Monado was completed.
- There is even a stone Jesus Christ in East Timor, near the capital of the state - Dili (the height of the monument is 27 meters).
- Sculptures depicting Jesus were also erected in Malta, the Dominican Republic, Italy, and Honduras. It is planned to build similar monuments in Slovakia and Germany.
- The statue of Christ the Redeemer itself in Rio De Janeiro is often identified with other grandiose architectural structures past years and present -
It is a matter of honor for every traveler, having visited Brazil, to come to Rio de Janeiro and visit the foot of the majestic statues of Christ the Redeemer. The magnificent landscape that opens at the foot of the statue, the feeling of some kind of inner power and delight will not leave anyone indifferent. It is best to leave a visit to the statue as a “snack”. Thus, you will be able to see a familiar landscape and guess the Formula 1 tracks, Maracanã Stadium, Sugarloaf and other attractions that only the lazy do not talk about or write about. The almost forty-meter-tall giant (thirty-eight to be precise) is visible from almost every corner of Rio, just as the entire city is visible from the statue. But don’t even dream of taking a picture of everything together - the location of the statue makes it impossible to do this. An option is to fly by plane, but more on that later.
History of the Jesus Statue in Brazil
Jesus in Rio de Janeiro has been rising since 1931. But his story begins much earlier. The pedestal of the future statue was the so-called “mountain of temptation,” which is mentioned in the Bible. But popular associative chains led to the renaming of the mountain to Corcovado, which means “hunchback” in Spanish. The fact is that the mountain really resembles a hump. The mystery and beauty of Mount Corcovado amazes and fascinates. She did not leave the Catholic priest Pedro Maria Bossa indifferent. He could not resist the temptation to install a statue of Jesus on the mountain. But a large statue means big expenses, which the clergyman did not have. He offered to sponsor this action to the then Princess Isabella. And to make sure she agreed, he promised to dedicate a statue to her and immortalize the virtuous lady. But the question of eternity turned out to be less attractive for the princess than the question of spending money, and she wished to postpone this matter until better times. But the plans were not destined to come true. Since the monarchy fell, and the church was separated by law from the state.
While the statue began to be forgotten, construction of the railway from Rio to the top of the Hunchback began in full swing. Thus, when the idea of creating a statue was returned to the anniversary of Brazilian independence in 1922, it was already possible to supply materials for construction without any special difficulties. It is also interesting that the statue was built with the money of the townspeople. Fundraising took place in churches when a “monument week” was declared. The church itself donated some of the money.
Construction began in April 1922, when the first stone was laid for the foundation of the pedestal.
But before that it was necessary to decide what it would look like monument in Rio de Janeiro. The city administration immediately announced a competition for best project, but, among stiff competition, Heitor de Silva Costa became the winner. In the project he embodied the idea that everything that exists is in the hands of the Lord. The outstretched arms of the statue schematically depict a cross, and it was originally supposed to stand on a ball that would symbolize our planet.
The final model was completed in 1927 - and construction of the statue finally began. The artists, architects and engineers who developed the models lived next to the statue throughout construction and spent the night in a tent constructed nearby.
The whole world collected the statue. Well, almost everyone. The head and hands were assembled in France for technical reasons, and the French sculptor Paul Landowski took part in modeling these parts of the statue. The material for making the sculpture was brought from Sweden.
The construction of the statue was quite cheap by today's standards - a quarter of a million dollars. But at that time it was a colossal amount.
How to get to the Jesus Christ Monument in Rio de Janeiro?
You can get to the city itself by any route: from plane to ship via train and car. In the city itself, catch a taxi (by the way, taxi services are not cheap in Rio), wait for the bus. There are two trains running from the city center to Corcovado Mountain. It’s not a long drive, only about twenty to twenty-five minutes.
The narrow railway that was originally used to transport building materials for the statue, now carries a crazy flow of tourists. An average of three and a half hundred tourists are brought to the statue in Rio de Janeiro every hour.
If public transport- this is not the type that you are used to using, you can take a taxi or rent a car to the statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro. This pleasure will cost more, but it also has its advantages. In addition to increased comfort, you get a tour of the national reserve and the largest forest in the world, which is located within the city. You still have to get to the top without a car - on an escalator, which was installed here only in 2003. You can see the statue from a bird's eye view by renting a private plane or helicopter, but the rental price is simply fabulous. Although there is nothing to argue about the ratio of price and richness of impressions - the view pays for the costs.
Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro today
The statue was consecrated twice by Pope John Paul II. The Brazilians themselves believe in the miraculous power of the statue and that it protects the city from troubles and adversity. Moreover, strong thunderstorms do not affect the statue, while the area around can be severely damaged and more than one tree stands cut by lightning. Scientists are not inclined to believe in miracles, and explain this phenomenon by the fact that the soapstone from which the statue was erected turned out to be a powerful dielectric.
However, time takes its toll, and Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro again requires repair, note, for the third time in more than 75 years.
Statue in Rio de Janeiro, photo which adorns all sorts of guidebooks, and indeed any things that are in the slightest degree connected with Brazil, has counterparts all over the world. They are naturally smaller, but some of them are amazing. For example, the monument to Jesus that stands in Indonesia (the Muslim faith prevails) surprises with its audacity.
Brazil Construction of the statue of Jesus Christ, video:
Bring your creative ideas to life! You can select and buy fabrics for creativity by visiting the catalog of the online store martapillow.ru. Here you can find natural high-quality fabrics for patchwork, sewing toys, etc. If you haven't found anything suitable, but know what material you need, we can offer fabrics to order. All products can be ordered with delivery to any region of Russia.
The majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) is located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. This grandiose structure on Mount Corcovado is a tourist symbol of Brazil, classified as one of the new wonders of the world. The height of Corcovado is 800 m, and the famous statue installed on its top is 38 m (along with an 8-meter marble pedestal).
A giant statue of Christ with outstretched arms with a span of 28 m looks like a cross from a distance. Despite its weight exceeding a thousand tons, the monument looks elegant. From its foot a stunning panorama of the city opens up, which is admired by about 2 million tourists every year.
Making a statue of Christ
The name of the mountain translates as “Humpback”. In 1859, she was seen by the Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss, who visited Rio de Janeiro. He approached the Brazilian princess Isabel of Braganza with the idea of building a large sculpture of the Savior on top of the Corcovado. He was supported in the church environment, but the state did not have the opportunity to finance such an expensive project. The idea was postponed until better times, but for now they limited themselves to the construction of a railway line reaching the top of Corcovado.
The idea was returned to in 1921, on the eve of the centennial anniversary of the country's independence. There was still no government money for the construction, especially since by that time the church was separated from the state, which had become a republic.
Catholic organizations decided to add donations from citizens to their own funds. They were told that if they managed to raise the required amount, then the planned construction of a monument to Christopher Columbus on Mount Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) would be cancelled. Brazilians are not very fond of Columbus, considering him to be the culprit of the Portuguese colonization of the country. In a short time, we managed to collect 2.2 million flights (so in plural The Brazilian currency was then pronounced real), so the monument is a real people's project.
The winner of the competition announced by the mayor of Rio de Janeiro was local artist Carlos Oswald. He is the author of a sketch of a sculpture with outstretched arms, which in the distance resembles a huge cross: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” According to his idea, the Savior was supposed to stand on a spherical pedestal, symbolizing the Earth. However, the technical difficulties of the implementation forced us to settle on a rectangular base, erected by engineer Hector de Silva Costa.
The design and construction participants worked with great enthusiasm. Some of them even lived in tents near the construction site.
The components of the sculpture itself were made in France, which had greater technical potential than Brazil. The materials used were reinforced concrete and soapstone (called soapstone). The latter was specially imported from Sweden, from the Lymhamn field. The final modeling of Christ's head and hands was carried out by the French specialist Paul Landowski and his assistants.
The finished components were delivered to Rio de Janeiro. This is where the old railway line came in handy. Along it, the details of the sculpture were raised to its future location - the top of Corcovado, where the final installation was carried out.
Construction took 9 years instead of the planned year.
The monument was inaugurated and consecrated in 1931.
- Towering above the surrounding area, the statue regularly receives lightning strikes. They, however, did not cause serious damage to the monument. It was also spared by the extreme storm of 2008, which destroyed nearby neighborhoods in Rio. Believers tend to associate this fact with the holiness of the place. The prosaic explanation comes down to the excellent dielectric properties of soapstone. The local Catholic diocese has a permanent supply of it.
- After Christ the Redeemer statues in Brazil sculptures similar in composition were installed in Lisbon, Italy, the Dominican Republic, Malta, Indonesia, Vietnam, and East Timor. There are even underwater sculptures called “Christ from the Abyss.”
- The initial illumination was carried out using radio waves remotely controlled from Rome. The distance from it to Rio is 9200 km.
Modernity
The monument was restored three times - in 1980, 1990 and 2010. Night illumination was modernized in 1932 and 2000. In 2011, on City Day, the statue received new lighting, consisting of 300 computer-controlled LED spotlights. It allows you to optimally select the radiation intensity and color scheme each of them.
The statue of Christ the Redeemer makes a particularly stunning impression in dark time days. The illumination creates the effect of light radiation coming from a giant figure of the Savior descending into the city. Religious people remember His inspired words: “I am the light of the world...” and “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
From the foot there is an impressive panorama of Rio de Janeiro with the Baía da Guanabara bay, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Pão de Açúcar mountain and the Estádio do Maracanã stadium. True, not in rainy weather, when only fog and clouds are visible.
In the marble plinth of the pedestal there is a small chapel where services, baptisms and weddings are regularly held. There is a souvenir shop nearby. It's not hard to guess the most popular souvenirs. In the city they are much cheaper.
Cristo Redentor is one of the most popular travel brands. Spectacular filming of the monument can be seen in a number of films.
How to get there
The statue is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can get to the top of Mount Corcovado from the city center by taxi or funicular. A train of two carriages runs from 08:30 to 18:30 every half hour, and delivers tourists to the mountain in 20 minutes. The cost of a round trip ticket is 51 BRL (Brazilian reals).
Both of these vehicles drive through Parque Nacional da Tijuca, the largest urban forest on the planet. Both the car and the train do not reach the monument. Leads to him steep stairs of 223 steps. Climbing it is difficult for children, weak and elderly people. A convenient alternative is the escalator built in 2003. Wealthy travelers have the opportunity to book a helicopter excursion for 150 USD.
